A Guide to Medicinal Plants

Fern-synthesized silver nanocrystals: Towards a new class of mosquito oviposition deterrents?

Dicranopteris linearis (family Gleicheniaceae) has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities but no attempt has been made to study its hepatoprotective potential. The aim of the present study was to determine the hepatoprotective effect of methanol extracts of D. linearis (MEDL) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute liver injury in rats. 6 groups (n = 6) of rats received oral test solutions: 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), 200 mg/kg silymarin, or MEDL (50, 250, and 500 mg/kg), once daily for 7 consecutive days, followed by hepatotoxicity induction with CCl4. Blood and liver were collected for biochemical and microscopic analysis. The extract was also subjected to antioxidant studies (e.g. 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)- and superoxide anion-radical scavenging assays, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) test and total phenolic content (TPC) determination), phytochemical screening and HPLC analysis. Pretreatment with MEDL and silymarin significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the serum levels of AST, ALT and ALP, which were increased significantly (P < 0.05) in DMSO-pretreated group following treatment with CCl4. Histological analysis of liver tissues in groups pretreated with MEDL and silymarin showed mild necrosis and inflammation of the hepatocytes compared to the DMSO-pretreated group (negative control group). The MEDL showed higher DPPH- and superoxide anion-radical scavenging activity as well as high TPC and ORAC values indicating high antioxidant activity. MEDL exerts hepatoprotective activity that could be partly contributed by its antioxidant activity and high phenolic content, and hence demands further investigation.

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Effect of methanol extract of Dicranopteris linearis against carbon tetrachloride- induced acute liver injury in rats

Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze qualitative and quantitative phytochemicals, evaluate in vitro antioxidant properties and determine the bioactive compounds in extracts of Dicranopteris linearis (Burm.f.) Underw. collected from Western Ghats of Kanyakumari district. Methods: The qualitative, quantitative phytochemical, and in vitro antioxidant analysis were performed using standard procedures. The bioactive compounds were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) instrument. Results: The qualitative phytochemical analysis studied in aqueous, acetone, chloroform, ethanol, and petroleum ether solvent extract showed acetone had strong positivity to express the 12 phytoconstituents studied except anthocyanin when compared to other solvent extracts. The quantitative phytochemistry revealed considerable amount of terpenoids (97.0±1.15 mg/g), tannins (30.8±0.44 mg tannic acid equivalents/gram), phenols (28.6±0.33 mg gallic acid equivalents/gram), and flavonoids (8.50±0.29 mg quercetin equivalent/g) in decreasing order of concentrations. The in vitro antioxidant activity of aqueous, ethanol, acetone, chloroform, and petroleum ether suggested that the extract of DL has prominent antioxidant prospective against various free radicals such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl while butylated hydroxy toluene being the standard antioxidant used. The GC-MS analysis displayed the presence of 11 bioactive compounds each belonging to various categories of phytochemicals such as terpenoids, flavonoids, phenols, and fatty acid derivatives. Conclusion: The results indicate that D. linearis (Burm.f.) Underw. present in the Western Ghats of Kanyakumari is an effective scavenger of free radicals and has the potential to be used as a natural antioxidant which is attributed to the rich presence of secondary metabolites. Keywords: Dicranopteris linearis (Burm.f.) Underw., Phytochemistry, Antioxidant activity, Gas chromatography-mass Spectrometry.

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Phytochemical analysis, in vitro antioxidant potential and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry studies of dicranopteris linearis

Problem statement: Gastrointestinal ulcers account significantly for morbidity and mortality in Ghana. The study therefore investigate d the gastroprotective effect of an ethanolic root bark extract of Zanthoxylum zanthxyloides and its safety for us. Approach: Gastric ulceration was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats with Indomethacin (25 mg kg -1 , p.o) and was treated with 150, 250, or 500 mg kg -1 of the extract, or 20 mg kg -1 Esomeprazole. The number of ulcers per stomach, Ulcerative Index and Curative Ratio were determined. A histolo gical study of the gastric mucosa was also performed. The extract's effect on an isolated guin ea-pig ileum preparation was investigated to elucidate its possible mechanism of action. Safety assessments involving, organ weight to body weight ratio determination, hematological analysis and liv er function tests were performed. Results: The extract significantly decreased (p ≤0.001) the number of ulcers per stomach and the Ulc erative Index (similar to Esomeprazole) and significantly increas ed (p ≤0.001) the Curative Ratio in a dose-dependent manner. It completely corrected the architectural d istortions caused by gastric ulceration and inhibit ed significantly (p ≤0.001) the contractile responses of the isolated gu inea-pig ileum to Acetylcholine, Nicotine and Histamine in a manner comparable to reference antagonists. The extract had no significant effect (p>0.05) on organ weight to body ratio and hematological profile. Plasma levels of Alanine transaminase and Alkaline phosphatase decreased significantly (p ≤0.001) in extract and Esomeprazole-treated ulcerated rats. Levels of Gamma-glutamyl transferase , Total bilirubin (direct and indirect) however increased significantly (p≤0.01-0.001). Conclusion/Recommendations: Per the findings, the ethanolic root bark extract of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides has gastroprotective effect in Sprague-Dawley rats working possibly via antimuscarinic or antihistaminic mechanism. It however has a potential of causing cholestasis hence liver func tion should be monitored.

Gastroprotective Effect and Safety Assessment of Zanthoxylum Zanthoxyloides (Lam) Waterm Root Bark Extract

Dicranopteris linearis is a medicinal plant commonly used traditionaly in the treatment of many aliments. This study was performed to evaluate the gastroprotective effect of ethanolic extracts of D. linearis leaf extract (DLELE) against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in experimental rats. The rats were divided into four groups respectively pre-treated orally with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) solution (ulcer control groups), omeprazole 20 mg/kg (reference group), 250 and 500 mg/kg of DLELE (experimental groups) one hour before oral administration of absolute ethanol to generate gastric mucosal damage. After an additional hour, the rats were sacrificed and the ulcer areas of the gastric walls were determined. The ulcer control group exhibited severe mucosal injury, whereas groups pre-treated with DLELE exhibited significant protection of gastric mucosa. These findings were also confirmed by histology of gastric wall. Significant increases in gastric mucus production and decrease in acidity of gastric content were observed in treated groups with DLELE compare to ulcer control group. In conclusion, treatment with DLELE prior to absolute alcohol has significantly protect gastric mucosa as ascertained grossly by significant reduction of ulcer area, increases in gastric mucus production and decrease the acidity of gastric content and histology by comparatively decreases in gastric mucosal injury, reduction or absence of edema and leucocytes infiltration of submucosal layer compared to ulcer control group. DLELE was able to decrease the acidity and increase the mucosal defense in the gastric area, thereby justifying its use as an antiulcerogenic agent.
		
			 
		
			Key words: Dicranopteris linearis, cytoprotection, gastric ulcer, mucus, histology.

Halabi Mohd Faroq

Papers

Gastroprotective effects of Dicranopteris linearis leaf extract against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats